Author: Kalantarian Kevo

POLICE FORCEFULLY DETAINED PROTESTORS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT (VIDEOS)

12.20.2013 15:34 epress.am

Police officers used brute force against several dozen demonstrators
who were protesting outside Armenia’s National Assembly on Baghramyan
Avenue today. While detaining activists, police officers also
obstructed the work of journalists: they tried to prevent them
from filming those times when they were using force against the
demonstrators, who were protesting the Dec. 2 ArmRosGazprom purchase
and sale agreement with Russia, as well as a number of other agreements
signed between the two countries, which are being discussed in
parliament today.

Details in the video below.

SEVEN SYRIANS HAVE JOINED CONTRACT-BASED MILITARY SERVICE

December 19 2013

Margarita Khachatryan, Chairman of “Soldier” NGO Coordination Council,
answering the question of Aravot.am that the number of soldiers is
gradually decreasing, and the bright evidence of it is the number of
parents of soldiers gathered near the Republican military gathering
station, which was quite many in the past, and it was not possible
to pass through, now a limited number of parents are standing
there on the days of gathering, said, “The number of soldiers is not
reduced, simply the government amended the Article on draft deferment,
according to which, now, people in deferment are conscripted, moreover,
if there is a need for it, then, the new army is supplemented with
contract-based servicemen, if needed.” Margarita Khachatryan assures
that we are not short of a soldier in the army. To our next question
of what she thinks about the paid service, and bringing of soldiers
from outside, she replied, “The paid services project is underway. To
have a professional army, we need to have soldiers on contract-base,
mainly supplementing the front lines. In addition, this may result in
many jobs openings.” To our observation whether the contract-based
servicemen would be from outside or Armenian, she said, “It is not
ruled out that they might be from outside. If we only get to increase
the salary of contract-based servicemen, their conditions would be
more improved, then we would work towards supplementing our army with
contract-based servicemen.

And, if it turns out that the number of conscript is few, the public
institutions would not have much to do, because the contract-based
servicemen are adult people. To the point, I have already accommodated
seven persons from Syria to contract-based service.” Margarita
Khachatryan added that the salary of contract-based servicemen is 100
000 drams, they are provided with food, and if they have families,
appropriate conditions are created for them, too. With respect to
the terms of contract-based service, the minimum is three years.

Eva HAKOBYAN

Read more at:

ARMENIAN MINISTERS TO VISIT MILITARY UNITS AHEAD OF NEW YEAR

December 19, 2013 | 16:02

YEREVAN. – Members of the Government of Armenia will visit military
units in the lead-up to the New Year, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
stated at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting.

Sargsyan also instructed Government Chief of Staff-Minister Vache
Gabrielyan to prepare a schedule for these visits by the ministers.

“We will prepare that list and visit the military servicemen. What
remains is to find out when and which military units are more
convenient to visit for us and for the command of the military units,”
the PM said.

According to tradition, the PM and ministers of Armenia visit the
country’s military units ahead of each New Year.

LOOKING OVER THE BORDER: THE PENSION REFORM IN ARMENIA

>From the ISET Economist Blog ()

On the first of January, Armenia will adopt an entirely new pension
system. This radical reform addresses two problems: widespread poverty
among the elderly and a lack of capital in the economy. The very
same problems also exist in Georgia, where the standard governmental
pension currently is 150 lari, and where the economy is suffering
from high capital costs due to notoriously low saving rates. So, it
is worthwhile to have a look at what is going on in our neighboring
country Armenia. Georgian decision makers may learn important lessons
from their experiences.

THE REFORM IN A NUTSHELL

In January 2014, a mandatory funded pension component is implemented
into the Armenian pension system. Everyone born after 1974
will obligatorily have to divert 10% of their gross salary to a
pension fund, while people born before 1974 can join the new system
voluntarily. The 10% of the gross salary, however, do not have to
be paid in full by the future pension beneficiaries. In fact, most
people have to pay only 5% of their salary, while the remaining 5%
are thrown in by the government. The state’s contribution is capped
at 25,000 dram ($62) per month, which is 5% of 500,000 dram. Hence,
a person with a salary of more than 500,000 Armenian dram per month
will receive a subsidy of less than 5%. For example, if the monthly
salary is 600,000 dram ($1,480), the state will cover 25,000 dram ($62)
and the individual will have to make up for the additional 35,000 dram
($86).

The government does not get tired to point out the advantages the
new system yields to common Armenian residents. Unlike in the past,
and unlike in Georgia, there will be a direct connection between a
person’s lifetime salary and the pension. Whether or not this is fair
is a matter of opinion; however, it smoothes the transition from work
to pension age. Moreover, the pensions are expected to increase the
living standards of elderly people considerably, and it is hoped that
in future more elderly people can afford to live independently from
their children. Currently, (adult) children often pay for their old
parents, while in advanced countries it is rather the elderly who
transfer money to the younger generation.

The state also emphasizes the safety of the accumulated capital,
which is brought about by a government guarantee to pay back all money
that was paid into the fund, compounded by the inflation factor. At
the same time, the system allows people some flexibility to invest
according to their own risk preferences. Each person can choose the
percentage of “risky investments” from the available options of 0%,
25%, or 50%. By the governmental guarantee the potential losses are
capped; hence, this scheme provides an incentive to go for riskier
assets as one would normally do.

TOUGH RESISTANCE

The new system is rejected by a significant part of the population.

Protesters are gathering every day in Yerevan, highlighting its
alleged disadvantages.

One argument put forward against the reform is that 10% of the gross
income is too large of an amount for a pension fund in a developing
country. In Armenia, the average monthly gross wage is about 150,000
dram ($370). The income tax was recently raised to 24.4% for income
below 120,000 dram ($296) and 26% above it. Thus, approximately 30%
of the gross salary of a citizen will not turn into disposable income,
a high percentage compared to neighboring Georgia. After taxes and
pension payments were made, somebody who earns the average income will
be left with just 105,000 dram ($259), hardly allowing to support a
family. Therefore, the protesters suggest that the state should not
only subsidize the accumulation of pension money, but pay the full 10%
from the government budget.

A more fundamental concern is the mistrust of many people regarding
the government’s willingness and capability to keep its promises. The
collapse of the Soviet Union about 23 years ago was not only a
political crisis, but also left most of the population without a cent,
as ruble accounts held at Soviet banks were confiscated. Since the
early 90’s, the Armenian government promises to refund those people
who suffered from these losses, but nothing happened. This created
a psychological barrier preventing people from trusting long-term
projects in Armenia.

The main problem, however, is the highly volatile exchange rate of the
Armenian dram (AMD) vis-Á-vis the dollar (USD). Looking at the chart,
one can hardly consider the dram to be a stable currency.

As one can see, between 2000 and 2013 the nominal exchange rate
was ranging between 300.73 and 591 dram per dollar. As much of the
consumption basket of Armenians is comprised of imported goods, locals
use to keep their deposits and cash in USD, even if there is a huge
difference in the interest rates (currently, the deposit interest rate
is 7% for dollar accounts for dram accounts it is 14.5% p.a.). In
future, people will be forced to save money for their retirement
in dram. The government guarantees the return of at least the 10%
of income plus inflation rate to each pensioner, but the exchange
rate risk remains with the pensioners.

In the debate some politicians expressed their concerns that the new
system would make it quite difficult for small and medium enterprises
to pay competitive wages. The contributions paid to the pension fund
are flowing back to the citizens when they retire, yet people are
not aware of that or they do not trust the government to safeguard of
their claims. Therefore, employees mainly care about net income, and,
so the argument goes, competing companies will be forced to reimburse
their employees for the perceived loss of income. This however, is not
a convincing argument, as all companies in Armenia are affected by this
change, so that – given the low downward elasticity of labor supply
in a market with unemployment – employers can shift the additional
burden to their employees.

In summary, one has to acknowledge that the Armenian government is
pushing a reform which is costly immediately but generates returns
just in the long run. Such reforms are notoriously unpopular with
the electorate, and hence it requires strong political will and
determination to get them through in a democracy. If things turn out
well, poverty among the elderly will be reduced. Moreover, a large
share of the accumulated money will be invested in the Armenian economy
(about 80%), improving the availability of capital. This capital is
urgently needed for fueling Armenian economic growth.

About the authors: Aram Derdzyan holds an MA degree in economics
from the International School of Economics at TSU (ISET). He is head
of the Young Researchers Organization Armenia ()
which provides assistance to university graduates who want to pursue
an academic career. In addition, he is a teaching fellow of the
CERGE-EI Foundation. Also Astghik Mkhitaryan is a teaching fellow
of the CERGE-EI Foundation. She holds an MA in economics from the
International School of Economics at TSU (ISET) and a Master’s degree
in Business Management from Yerevan State University.

by Aram Derdzyan and Astghik Mkhitaryan

19.12.2013

TURKEY’S BALANCING ACT IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 19 2013

ZAUR SHIRIYEV

In advance of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s visit to
Yerevan last week for an Organization of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) meeting, there were rumors about the possibility
that Turkey might revive its normalization process with Armenia.

Not surprisingly, the Armenian side — both at the official and
expert level — was anticipating the visit but labeled Davutoglu’s
trip as more of a PR move rather than him bringing something new to
the negotiation table. Azerbaijan remains an interested party in the
Turkish-Armenian normalization process, which it believes should be
parallel to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Currently
Baku is not worried and does not perceive a threat to its interests
because, with regards to Armenian-Turkish relations, Ankara discusses
its steps with Azerbaijan in advance.

Further to this, given that the geopolitical conditions in the South
Caucasus are increasingly difficult, with Moscow’s growing influence
on Armenian politics, Davutoglu’s statement that Turkey aims to
take serious steps to resolve the conflicts in the South Caucasus,
including Abkhazian-Georgian relations, have come as a surprise.

Davutoglu has been attacked several times for his idealism. But there
are misperceptions among experts commenting on Davutoglu’s visit.

His real motives are as follows:

First of all, Davutoglu would like to use Turkish-Armenians as a
bridge to the government in Yerevan and the Armenian diaspora abroad.

The aim of this strategy is two-fold: First, to reassure
Turkish-Armenians that the Turkish government has a fair agenda
towards Turkish-Armenians and to establish intellectual debates with
Armenians living in Armenia. This move could at least assuage the
frustration among intellectuals in Armenia who are still smarting over
the failure of the Zurich Protocols of 2009. It is hard for Ankara
to convince moderate Armenian intellectuals to take part in track two
initiatives because they don’t want to be involved in a reconciliation
process that will bear no results (i.e., opening the Turkish-Armenian
border). Turkish-Armenians have more influence, and can help persuade
moderate Armenian intellectuals to get involved. Second, the more
difficult task is using Turkish-Armenians to build bridges with the
Armenian diaspora. On the eve of 2015, the anniversary of the tragic
events of 1915, this could indicate momentum in the eyes of the West,
and especially the US. Therefore, it is not surprising that Davutoglu
brought representatives of Turkey’s Armenian intelligentsia with him
to Yerevan.

Second, Turkey is fully aware that Ankara alone cannot produce major
changes in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and that
this is not a question of how good the Moscow-Ankara relationship is.

The conflict is so complex that even Russia cannot generate a deal
that is mutually acceptable to Azerbaijan and Armenia. Therefore,
Ankara is looking at a resolution within the scope of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group work, but
with an additional dimension. The next OSCE chairmanship will be held
by Switzerland, which played a major role as a moderator during the
Turkish-Armenian rapprochement process. In this respect, the hope is
that Switzerland can arrange parallel discussions with Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Turkey.

Meanwhile, the first diplomatic contact a few months ago between
Switzerland and the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Armenia “triangle” was positive.

Swiss diplomats contacted each party separately and presented the
agenda, the details of which remain private. This was significant
because, after a pause of nearly two years, the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents met last month; the foreign ministers are now
preparing another presidential meeting for January 2014 with the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. While there are no big expectations for
immediate progress, the ball is in Armenia’s court; Yerevan can change
the trajectory of the conflict resolution by taking steps to withdraw
from the occupied territories.

The third issue is that Turkey is looking at its long-term solutions
for regional problems, including Abkhazian-Georgian relations. In
Georgia there is more interest in people-to-people contacts between
Abkhazians and Georgians, as well as contact between the de facto
authorities of Abkhazia and Tbilisi. Previously, the “engagement
without recognition” precluded contact with the de facto authorities.

Although Turkey has a big Abkhazian diaspora that wants Ankara to have
direct contact with Sukhumi, out of respect for Georgia’s territorial
integrity Turkey has followed Tbilisi’s official position. Rumors
have it that Tbilisi could soon give Turkey the green light to invest
in Abkhazia, which will open it to international trade — Georgia
is seeking ways to break the deadlock, which could mean increasing
contact with Sukhumi.

However, the worry for Turkey is that a significant proportion
of intellectuals still blame Azerbaijan for the failure of
Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, and believe that opening its
border with Armenia would be a major step in reconciliation. But
the conventional view that border opening could facilitate
Turkey’s relations with the Armenian diaspora is wrong. This view
misinterprets the agenda of the Armenian diaspora, its expectations
and the importance of the border opening. Following the developments
in recent months, with Armenia becoming more dependent on Russia and
turning away from the EU, economic indicators now suggest that open
borders will not really change Turkey-Armenia trade relations. On
the contrary, by keeping the border closed, Turkey retains its minor
role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process and has
something to offer the Armenian government: trade and investment via
open borders in exchange for Armenia’s withdrawal from the occupied
Azerbaijani territories.

Last but not least, Turkey, through the foreign minister’s visit to
Yerevan, showed that Ankara is trying to bolster intellectual-level
contacts with the international Armenian diaspora with the help of
Turkish-Armenians. At the same time, it supports Switzerland’s
chairmanship, with the hope of breaking the deadlock in
Azerbaijani-Armenian meetings.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF AGAIN PRESSURES WHITE HOUSE TO ALLOW DISPLAY OF ARMENIAN ORPHAN RUG

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Dec 19 2013

By Kelly Goff, Los Angeles Daily News

Posted: 12/18/13, 5:39 PM PST |

The White House is facing renewed pressure from a San Fernando Valley
congressman to allow the public display of a rug woven by orphans
of the Armenian genocide for President Calvin Coolidge, something it
has so far been reluctant to do despite growing controversy over the
politics behind its refusal.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, sent a letter to the White House this
week, asking it to loan the rug for display at an event he is planning
for early next year to commemorate the centennial of the massacres.

The large, colorful, hand-knotted Ghazir rug with depictions of plants
and animals woven in ornate detail – often referred to as the Armenian
Orphan Rug – was slated to be loaned to the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D.C., to coincide with the launch of a book detailing
the rug’s past – “President Calvin Coolidge and the Armenian Orphan
Rug,” written by Hagop Martin Deranian – but in mid-October, the White
House pulled the plug. Schiff had also co-authored a letter to Obama
in November, urging the president to reverse that position.

“The White House said it couldn’t loan the rug to the Smithsonian
because it was tied to a book launch, but they have said they would
consider lending it to an appropriate event,” he said. “If that’s
correct, then they should have no problem with it being displayed at
the event we are planning.”

The Schiff-sponsored event will be a gathering of survivors of the
genocide, their descendants and other community members to discuss
the history of the rug, effects of the Armenian conflict and its
continuing impact on the diaspora.

The event is slated for January or February, and he said he would
schedule it based on the White House’s time frame.

“I didn’t want to pick a specific date and have them say it wasn’t
available, so we’ll be flexible and work with them,” Schiff said. “But
I’m optimistic they’ll agree. I’m taking them at their word that
they will allow it for an appropriate event. I think this would be
an appropriate event.”

The rug has become a flash point in the Armenian community, which
has long lobbied Washington to officially recognize the genocide. The
Obama administration has routinely stopped short of referring to the
atrocities committed against the Armenian population as genocide in
what was then the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The conflict
left up to 1.5 million people dead.

The girls who made the rug were living in the Ghazir Orphanage of Near
East Relief, in present-day Lebanon, which was created and funded
through the U.S. Congress. The back of the rug bears an inscription
thanking President Coolidge for the support Americans gave to the
Armenian population during the time.

At issue now is pressure from the Turkish government, activists say,
which is a critical U.S. ally that has routinely denied the genocide
took place.

To coincide with Obama’s visit to Los Angeles in November, the Armenian
National Committee of America organized an event for religious and
community leaders to discuss the refusal of the White House to display
the rug and to call on it to do so in the future.

Local community advocates reiterated that sentiment after Schiff’s
request was made. “The White House put out a statement saying that
a book signing wasn’t an appropriate venue to display the rug, that
they place a high value on the rug and where it should be displayed,”
said Tereza Yerimyan, government-affairs director for the western
region of the Armenian National Committee of America, whose offices
are in Glendale.

“This is a very valuable event. It’s educational, it’s important to the
community. We hope that we will be able to have the rug to display.”

TURKISH SENIOR ADVISER VIEWS TIES WITH IRAN, MINISTER’S ARMENIA VISIT

Yeni Safak (in Turkish), Turkey
Dec 15 2013

In a 3,100-word interview with Nil Gulsum, Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s Chief Political Adviser and founder and Director
of the Foundation for Research on Politics, Economics, and Society,
explains the various arguments advanced in his recently published book
“Reason and Virtue” and comments on Turkey’s foreign policy goals
and expectations on specific issues.

Following general comments on the book and the possibility of
establishing “a balance between roots and horizons,” Kalin comments
on “modernization” and “Westernization.” He says: “Today, we define
modernization only as Westernization. Meeting the basic infrastructure
needs of a society, ensuring economic development and prosperity and
a fair distribution of wealth, and building a culture of democratic
participation are not goals that can be achieved only through
Westernization. When we look around, we see different experiences of
modernization. For this reason, when I say ‘we must be ourselves,’
I do not mean turning away from the world or taking a ‘pro-Third-Word’
approach. On the contrary, I mean understanding the world correctly.

If we can establish this balance properly, we can bring our rich
heritage of civilization to modern times and contribute to global
culture and civilization. The Islamic world has the potential to
accomplish this. Turkey is one of the best examples of this. Today,
Turkey has a perspective that can see the entire world as its friend.

It has a foreign policy posture that can take a 360-degree view of
the world. Today, Turkey is able to view events more globally and
in their historical depth. This has provided a tremendous expansion
of horizons.”

Continuing this discussion, Kalin says: “For a long time, we were
alienated from our own history. We viewed our history and landscape as
a burden. We distanced ourselves from our own cultural codes. However,
globalization has shown that there is no hierarchy of cultures. Today,
we are rebuilding the balance between the local and the global.”

Following a discussion of Turkish authors who have written about
these issues, Kalin praises the accomplishments of the current Turkish
government and says that these accomplishments have “spread the gains
of the republic to all social groups.” He adds: “The unique conditions
of the 1920’s and 1930’s may have allowed [the Turkish Republic] to
take certain steps. It was necessary to build a new structure for a
nation that was going through the trauma of losing an empire. Although
we understand the conditions of that time, it is of course impossible
to move along the same direction.”

In response to a question about “where exactly Turkey stands in
its foreign policy,” Kalin says: “The most fundamental principle
of Turkey’s foreign policy is viewing the region and the world from
Turkey’s perspective. In the past 11 years, Turkey has pursued a policy
of developing good relations with our neighbours, regional countries,
as well as global actors. Turkey’s first priority is to develop good
relations with our neighbours and international actors.

Obviously, the possibility of seeing the conditions mandated by
realpolitik and taking steps accordingly cannot be ignored. Turkey
wants to ensure balance in realpolitik on the basis of principles
such as fairness, the sanctity of human life, and morality. We
may sometimes have agreements and sometimes differences with other
countries on different issues. For example, we can have differences
with a country over Syria but we can reach accords with the same
country on energy policies, Palestine, or security issues.”

Asked about the current status of Turkey’s relationship with Iran,
Kalin replies: “Iran has opened a new page in its relations with
Western countries by resuming negotiations with them on its nuclear
programme. This is something Turkey supports. Recall that only two
to three years ago some people removed Turkey from the Western axis
because of our relations with Iran and even alleged that we were being
pro-Iranian. Now, these same circles are saying that relations with
Iran are very important. Turkey has not changed its position. A new
page may have opened on Iran for the Western countries but that page
was always open for us.”

Commenting on Turkey’s relations with Iran as they relate to Syria,
Kalin says: “We always believed that regional problems can be solved
through the dynamics of the countries of the region. This is why we
have treated regional countries as partners in the handling of these
problems. This applies to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, pre-civil-war Syria,
Iran, Iraq, and other regional states. Our entire goal is to mobilize
regional dynamics with a positive agenda.”

Asked to comment on the “synergies” that may generated by “an expanded
relationship between Turkey and Iran in the aftermath of the nuclear
talks,” Kalin says there were many contacts between senior Turkish
and Iranian officials recently. He continues: “Our Foreign Minister
was in Iran recently. His talks were very positive. The discussions
focused on the success of Geneva II, the establishment of a ceasefire
in Syria, and the delivery of humanitarian aid [to Syria]. This does
not mean that Turkey and Iran have changed their diplomatic positions.

Indeed, this is within the means and nature of diplomacy. Furthermore,
the position Iran has assumed in the nuclear talks does not refute
our position in 2010; on the contrary it affirms and supports it.”

Responding to a question on Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s
recent visit to Armenia, Kalin says: “As you know, there was a
meeting between [Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev and [Armenian
President Serzh] Sargsian. From the outset, we insisted that problems
[between Azerbaijan and Armenian], chiefly the Karabakh problem, must
be solved by diplomatic means. Although important responsibilities
were incumbent on the Minsk Group in this regard, this group has,
unfortunately, failed to produce a solution in 20 years. Our Prime
Minister most recently discussed this issue with Russian President
Putin in Saint Petersburg. This problem can be solved by peaceful
means. However, the most important step to unblock this process is
Armenia’s withdrawal from the areas it has occupied. The visit our
Foreign Minister paid to Armenia within the framework of the Black Sea
Cooperation organization is a concrete expression of the importance
we attach to peace and stability in the Caucasus and the Black Sea.

Asked to comment on the recent execution of Abdul Quader Molla in
Bangldadesh, Kalin says: “That was a dismaying situation. The execution
was carried out despite all efforts to stop it. Bangladesh needs social
peace and conciliation, not divisions and animosity. I hope that they
will act more responsibly and with cooler heads in the future.”

[Translated from Turkish]

ARMENIA’S ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE STATISTICS

December 18, 2013 | 11:15

YEREVAN. – A total of 1,780,160 people have arrived in, and 1,888,165
have departed from, Armenia from January to September 2013.

“People in Need” NGO Migration Project Manager Tatevik Bejanyan stated
the aforesaid at a press conference on Wednesday.

Bejanyan noted that December 18 is International Migrants Day. She
added, however, that there is no registration of migrants in Armenia,
and therefore they ascertain the numbers through departures and
arrivals.

Presenting the respective statistics, Bejanyan stated that 73
percent of the people that departed from Armenia have headed to
Russia. The rest primarily traveled to the US, Ukraine, and several
other countries. The least number of people went to the Netherlands,
Belarus, Turkey, Belgium, and Georgia.

In addition, 77 percent of the Armenian migrants are men, and the
largest age group that departed from Armenia is between the ages of
26 and 35 (30%).

The NGO official also informed that the majority of Armenia’s migrant
workers have received secondary education.

Tatevik Bejanyan added that the bank remittances to Armenia comprise 20
percent of the country’s GDP. Furthermore, 80 percent of the Armenian
households that receive remittances from abroad are reluctant to open
savings accounts in banks.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyanj
Tel: 212-686-0710
Fax: 212–779-3558
Email: [email protected]
Web:

The occasion was billed as a “triple celebration” for the Armenian
community of White Plains, N.Y. It marked 40 years since the birth of
an Armenian parish – then dubbed “St. James” – in Westchester. It also
marked the 15th anniversary of the long-awaited consecration of the
parish sanctuary, the St. Gregory the Enlightener Church of White
Plains.jBut most of all, the gala banquet at the Hilton Westchester
Hotel in Rye Brook, N.Y., on Saturday evening, December 7, was an
occasion to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Rev. Fr. Karekin
Kasparian’s pastoral ministry to the community.jThe hotel’s ballroom
was filled with 425 people who had come out to pay homage to a great
pastor, leader, teacher and friend. Friends and family from near and
far came to the event to reunite in a spirit of love and admiration
for Fr. Karekin.jNotable among the guests were Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese; Archbishop Yeghishe
Gizirian, longtime friend and mentor to Fr. Karekin, and nine
clergymen.jParish Council chair Gregory Sahagian offered a toast to
begin the program.

Gala chair Maria Stepanian welcomed the well-wishers and spoke on how
Fr. Karekin had made an impact on her life.jA special congratulatory
message from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, was read by Diocesan Vicar General the Very
Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian. His Holiness’ laudatory words echoed
throughout the evening.jAfter dinner, the Rev. Fr. Untzag Nalbandian,
pastor of Holy Ascension Church in Trumbull, Conn., spoke on behalf of
the clergy of the Diocese.jThe Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of
St. Nersess Seminary, conveyed congratulatory sentiments from the
seminary board, staff and seminarians. He reminisced about former
days, when he attended his first summer conference at the time Deacon
Hovhaness – Fr. Karekin prior to his priestly ordination – was
seminary dean.jThe Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan, pastor of the Holy
Trinity Church in Cheltenham, Pa., spoke on behalf of the seven
pastoral interns that Fr. Kasparian has mentored over the years. He
recalled his personal internship experiences in a loving and humorous
manner, and told how Fr. Karekin’s tutelage prepared him for the
challenges of parish life.jOne other distinguished clerical guest was
the Rev. Fr. Kevork Arakelian, Fr. Kasparian’s first student at
St. Nersess Seminary, who had flown in from California just for the
occasion. His presence surprised and delighted the honoree.jZaven
Tachdjian, former Parish Council chair of 10 years in White Plains,
credited Fr. Karekin with helping develop his personal
spirituality. He called the pastor a “great unifier in the parish and
community.”jMeliné and Lori – the two daughters of Fr. Karekin and
Yeretzgin Dawn Kasparian – entertained the gathering with loving
anecdotes about growing up as the children of a parish priest, and
told how they were fortunate to have a father who had a flexible
schedule, which allowed him to be a “hands-on dad.”jJohn Wolohojian as
Master of Ceremonies managed to keep the program briskly moving
forward. When he introduced the guest of honor, Fr. Karekin Kasparian
began his message with an outpouring of gratitude, thanking all those
present as well as those departed who had contributed to the
foundation and growth of the St. Gregory parish.jFr. Kasparian
expressed heartfelt thanks to the Suren Fesjian family – the parish’s
benefactor and “godfather,” and also to the Simon and Hayik Tutak
families, likewise early and crucial parish benefactors.jFr. Karekin
recalled several poignant episodes from his pastoral life, and
expressed gratitude for being included in significant moments in his
parishioners’ lives.jHe also paid tribute to his dear wife, Yeretzgin
Dawn, who has been a source of strength and inspiration throughout his
life and ministry.jHe concluded by saying: “No pastor can truly say,
`My work is completed.’ The work of the church goes on and on,
eternally. We are unworthy servants, who have only done what was our
duty.”jArchbishop Khajag Barsamian addressed the gathering and
acknowledged Fr. Karekin for being a true leader of the Armenian
community, a great communicator, and a teacher who has led his flock
to a better understanding of each other and of God.j”I admire the
virtues Der Karekin brings to his ministry,” the Primate said. “He is
a man of deep faith, and his love for his people and heritage is
profound. He is a true gentleman, with great compassion for his fellow
human beings, who is always willing to listen, to answer a question,
to lend a sympathetic ear or a helping hand to the members of his
flock.j”Der Karekin’s tenure in this parish has been extremely
fruitful,” he continued. “And he means a great deal to our Diocese, as
well. For Der Karekin has been a true pioneer, leading our church in
America into greener pastures, and new ways of implementing our
mission.”jA benediction by Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian concluded the
evening with a feeling of joy and unity.jViolinist Sami Merdinian,
accompanied by Sofya Meilkyan on piano, provided the musical
entertainment for the evening, entrancing the audience with their
selection of Armenian melodies.jA video montage chronicling the life
of Fr. Karekin and the growth of his flock over the past 40 years was
viewed by the appreciative crowd. The montage was prepared by Sylvia
Kruizenga, and DVD copies of it were included in the celebration
booklet as a keepsake.jA commemorative booklet was prepared by Maria
Bedonian and dedicated to both Fr. Karekin and Yeretzgin Dawn. It
captured the effect of Fr. Karekin’s and Yeretzgin’s beneficial
influence on the community. Throughout the booklet were heartfelt
messages from clergymen, supporters, benefactors, friends, family
members, church organizations, and booklet donors, whose sentiments
were summed up in the words: “We will forever be grateful for the
Kasparians’ boundless spiritual love and support.”jThe booklet
concluded with the following inscription: “We honor with love our
senior generation for their foresight and sacrifice. We delight with
faith in the enthusiasm of our present generation for their zeal to
continue the torch of our heritage. We wait with hope for the future
generation to carry forth the flame of our legacy.”jThe weekend
culminated with the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, December 8, at the
St. Gregory Church. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian celebrated the
badarak, with the parish deacons, altar servers, and choir performing
their offices with dignity.jAs part of the service, the rank of
subdeacon was conferred on St. Nersess seminarian Saro Kalayjian, and
on St. Gregory’s own faithful young servant Andrew Kayaian.jSolemn
requiem service was held for the founders and benefactors of the St.
Gregory parish, and for the victims of the earthquake in Armenia
(which occurred 25 years ago), with requiem prayers said for the late
president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. A fellowship hour followed
in the church’s Tutak Hall.jj###jjPhotos by Diran Jebejian. Photo 1:
The White Plains community honored Fr. Karekin Kasparian on his 40th
anniversary. Photo 2: From left are Yn. Dawn Kasparian, Fr. Karekin
Kasparian, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, and Archbishop Yeghishe
Gizirian. Photo 3: Fr. Karekin Kasparian surrounded by family
members. Photo 4: Archbishop Barsamian ordains Saro Kalayjian and
Andrew Kayaian to the sub-diaconate.j

ARS CELEBRATES THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN MOTHER

Tuesday, December 17th, 2013

Above: ARS members and guests took the stage to recite poems. Below:
photographs of early 20th Century famous Armenian mothers lined
the hall.

GLENDALE-Performers Nune Avetisyan and Hovannes Shahbazian entertained
to celebrate the “Year of the Armenian Mother” and raise funds for
Armenian Relief Society (ARS) programs in the Western United States
on December 8, 2013, at the Brandview Banquet Hall in Glendale,
California.

ARS-WUSA General Manager Jasik Jarahian, who emceed the event,
explained that His Holiness Catholicos Aram I had declared the year
2013 as the “Year of the Armenian Mother.” Photographs of early 20th
Century famous Armenian mothers lined the hall, along with Christmas
decorations. ARS Central Executive Board Member, Annie Kechician,
who is the liaison to the western region, attended the event.

ARS-WUSA Regional Executive Chairperson Lena Bozoyan presented the key
address, praising mothers and ARS members for their motherly love, for
providing hope, warmth, confidence and security for the organizations
and people of the community. Bozoyan looked back on how Armenian
mothers acted throughout history with self-sacrifice to uphold their
homes and people. She applauded the role of the ARS members in helping
those in need as well as passing our history and culture to the youth.

The event featured beautiful combinations of poetic messages and
recitations by artist and TV personality Nune Avetisyan, and a musical
performance by singer Hovhannes Shahbazyan

Bozoyan asked the attendees to remember during our Christmas
celebrations: the Armenians of Syria, wherever they are; families
experiencing financial crises; women being subjected to domestic
violence; soldiers protecting our national borders; and Javakhk
villagers struggling to live under harsh conditions. She thanked
Jasik Jarahian and Maro Kechichian for their role in the success
of the event, and all the sponsors, members and guests for their
contributions.

The event continued with beautiful combination of poetic messages
and recitations by artist and TV personality Nune Avetisyan, and
musical performance by singer Hovhannes Shahbazyan. In addition,
brave and talented ARS members and guests came on stage to perform
for a friendly audience.

The holiday atmosphere lifted the spirits and helped to raise funds
for vital ARS programs.

The Armenian Relief Society of Western USA, established in 1984 and
with regional headquarters in Glendale, CA, has 27 chapters and more
than 1,200 members in five western states. The ARS-WUSA operates a
Social Services Division and Child, Youth, and Family Guidance Center,
and funds numerous youth programs, scholarships, and relief efforts.

For further information, please visit or call
(818) 500-1343.